Page 34 of Slow Ride

“That makes a lot of sense, actually.”Kason sounded interested instead of offended.Her hopes rose as he paid attention to what she was trying to explain about herself.“Tell me more.What happened exactly?”

“Are you asking because you’re wondering what lines we crossed?”Wren double-checked.

“Uh, no.I’m asking because I want to picture it.Or is that too perverted for you?”Kason seemed genuinely worried that she might judge him after he’d been extremely compassionate.What kind of friends did he have if that was his reflex reaction?

Who was making him feel like he wasn’t enough?

Not her, that was for damn sure.

“Not at all.If you really want to know, it was hot and desperate.I think it shocked him as much as me.But that’s how it’s always been between us.If you don’t already think I’m a slut for what I’ve told you—”

“Don’t say shit like that, Wren.I think you follow your heart.Who needs to think a long time about something when it feels right?”

“Yes, exactly.The day I met Johnny and Jordan it wasn’t right.It wasperfect.I knew immediately.Within a few hours, we were making out.I ended up spending the entire weekend at their place on Lake Logan.We fucked and laughed and skinny-dipped and drank beers on a blanket under the moon.It was magical.We were never apart again, until…”

“Damn, Wren.I’m sorry,” Kason whispered as if it upset him as much as her.

“Anyway…” She took a deep breath.“The night Jordan came to tell me about Johnny, we slept together.This was the first time I’ve been alone with him since.It just happens.I mean, it has.But I’ll be sure it doesn’t anymore if you decide you want more from me than to talk on the phone.Not that I think he and I will be spending any time together.Or that I’m assuming you’re interested in dating me.Or…damn, I’m making this worse, right?”

“Calm down, Wren.”He laughed quietly.“I’m not worried about your history or what went down between you and Jordan.I can’t begin to understand what the two of you share.You told me about it right away.That’s all I’m asking.If something happens, let me know.I don’t own you.Hell, I’m pretty sure I’m not even your boyfriend.I’m just some guy who’d like to be more to you than I am today, who lives an unstable life and can only offer you phone calls and lonely nights in between visits.I wouldn’t take me seriously either if I were you.”

There it was again.That vein of insecurity.She wanted to punch whoever had made Kason think of himself as unworthy.If nothing else came of their acquaintance, Wren would settle for helping him see himself like she did.“I hate to break it to you, but I think you’re being as dense as you said my parents were.You’re an incredible guy.I’m so glad you came into Hot Rides that day.Thank you for being so patient with me while I figure things out.”

“What if I call back every night so we can keep learning about each other and see if you might like me to become more than some singer you ran into a few times?”

“It’s not you I’m unsure of, Kason.It’s myself.”Wren could only think of one way to make him understand completely and that was to give him exactly what he’d asked for.“Do you still want to hear details about what Jordan and I did today and how it made me feel?”

“Yes.”He practically panted the response.“Would you be offended if my hands end up wandering while you tell me about it?”

She liked that he’d asked even though he already told her he got off on imagining her having sex, even if it was with another guy.It was the least she could do to let some of her pleasure rub off on him.Literally.

“No, I’d like that.I want to hear what it does to you when I tell you about how I am.If it turns you on, I think it’ll make me feel less guilty.”

“I already told you that’s not necessary.”His response was somewhat muffled.

“What are you doing now?”she asked.

“Getting undressed.”

Wren had to swallow a whimper.She could imagine his toned and muscular, though not bulky, body.His performances had given him an incredible physique.It was highlighted by bright tattoos she wished she could trace with her tongue.“Mind if I do that too?”

“Not at all.”He groaned.

Wren turned out the lights so she wouldn’t give her neighbors an unintentional show.She climbed up the bookcase-ladder, then whipped her shirt over her head and wriggled out of her jeggings.When she settled into the comfy mattress and pulled the covers over herself, she hummed.

“Are you a pajamas kind of girl?”Kason asked.

“Nah.I love the way the sheets feel, cool and soft, on my skin at night.”

“Me too,” he admitted.“Plus I like having easy access in case I wake up in the middle of the night and decide to help myself get back to sleep.”

“By making love to whatever woman is sharing your bed?”Wren snuffed out a flicker of jealousy.She had no right to that emotion, especially not when he was being so open-minded about her and Jordan.

“That’s not a thing.”Kason explained, “Most of the time I’m here on the tour bus.We all agreed early on it’s best if we keep things simple.No sex on the bus.I guess I just carried that over to when I’m at my house in between tours or when we’re recording.I live up on a mountain with a couple hundred acres of woods all around.There’s nobody but me and my music.”

“That sounds lonely.”

“It can be.So help me forget about it by telling me what happened today.”

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